Augmentation in Luganda
Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination |
This article may require cleanup to be suited for an informational wiki. We try to help with some Best Practice Guidelines for writing on the TypeCraft wiki. You also can leave your comments concerning this message on this template's talk page Talk page. |
AUGMENTATION IN LUGANDA
Introduction
Augmentation is the opposite of diminution. In Luganda, augmentatino is denoted by noun class prefixes including Class 5 eli; cl 7 eki;cl 8 ebi; cl 11 olu; cl 20 ogu and cl 22 aga. All classes that denote augmentation are also pejorative, particularly for the non-inherent nouns.
Class 5eli; cl 7eki and cl 11olu have inherent nouns but classes 20ogu and cl 22aga do not have inherent nouns. The semantic meaning derived here indicates intensity of size, derogatoriness and other attributes that are pejorative in nature.
Nouns inherent to cl5 eli. See the table below:
| Nouns inherent to cl5 | English translation |
| eliiso | eye |
| elinnyo | tooth |
| eliggwa | thorn |
| ettama | chick |
| eddungu | desert |
| eppaapaali | pawpaw |
| ekkundi | ambilical cord |
| ekkelenda | tablet |
The basic prefix for class 5 is LI but this undergoes intricate phonological changes of assimilation. Almost any noun can be augmented by adding a class 5 prefix, eli- to the noun stem. It should however be noted that there may be some phonological changes to the noun stem.
| Non inherent nouns to cl5 | English translation |
| eddenzi | fat boy |
| essajja | fat/very big fat man |
| elyana | very big bay |
Class 7 Eki
All nouns in this class have eki' as the subject prefix and e as the pre-prefix. Examples of nouns inherent to this class include;
| Nouns inherent to cl7 | English translation |
| ekikopo | cup |
| ekibiina | class |
| ekyoto | fireplace |
| ekisumuluzo | key |
| ekisenge | bedromm |
When pluralised, all nouns in class fit in class 8.
Class 11 Olu-
Inherent nouns to class 11
| Nouns inherent to cl11 | English translation |
| oluso | slasher |
| olulimi | tongue |
| oluggya | compound |
| oluku | firewood |
| olupapula | paper |
| olulagala | banana leaf |
| olweyo | broom |
| olubaawo | blackboard |
All nouns in class 11 have an inherent meaning of long, slimmy. From the examples given it can be noticed that all those nouns have these attributes. So, every noun augmented with olu necessary has those tributes. For the non-inherent nouns augmented with class 11, there is an added attribute of derogatoriness.
The noun omulenzi boy is augmented by replacing the noun class marker omu with olu which make the noun augmented and derogatory as well.
Class 20 ogu and class 22 aga Class 20 has no inherent nouns. Any noun can be augmented with class 20 in singular and class 22 in plural. All nouns augmented with these classes are derogatory.